Axel Tuanzebe (born 14 November 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Aston Villa, on loan from fellow Premier League club Manchester United.
Tuanzebe is a graduate of the Manchester United youth system and won both the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year and Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year awards. He made his competitive debut in an FA Cup game against Wigan Athletic in January 2017. He has had three spells on loan at Aston Villa and helped them to win promotion to the Premier League in 2019.
Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he relocated to England at a young age and has represented England at under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels.
Club Career
Manchester United
Early years
Tuanzebe was associated with the Manchester United academy from the age of eight. He was captain of the Milk Cup winning youth side in 2014. In May 2015, Tuanzebe won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award. Academy coach Paul McGuinness noted that Tuanzebe was likely the first first-year scholar to captain the under-18 side since Gary Neville.
On 31 October 2015, at the age of 17, Tuanzebe was named on the substitutes bench for a match against Crystal Palace in the Premier League, the first time he had been a member of a first-team matchday squad.
2016–17 season
On 29 January 2017, Tuanzebe made his Manchester United debut as a 68th-minute substitute, replacing Timothy Fosu-Mensah during a 4–0 FA Cup victory over Wigan Athletic at Old Trafford. Four days later, he extended his contract at Manchester United until 2020, with the option of a further year. On 7 May 2017, Tuanzebe started a senior match for the first time, in a 2–0 defeat against Arsenal in the Premier League. He won the Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year award in May 2017.
2017–18 season
Tuanzebe made his first start of the season
This page also has a version in other languages : Аксель Туанзебе (russian)